Wax Pick

The Dennison Wax Pick test is used on paper and board to measure surface strength, or to measure how well the fibers are attached at the surface.  It is run according to TAPPI Test Method T562. In this test, waxes with different hardness are heated and applied to the surface being tested.  When they have cooled they are pulled away from the surface.  The waxes are numbered with higher numbers assigned to harder waxes, so the higher the wax pick number, the stronger the surface strength of the substrate.

The wax pick number is the highest hardness wax that does not pick fiber from the surface.